Manoj Reddy's Reference Guide

boot

To boot the router manually, use the boot
ROM monitor command. The syntax of this command varies according to the platform and ROM Monitor version. Refer to the documentation for your platform to determine which command to use.

boot

boot file-url

boot filename [ip-address]

boot flash [filename]

boot flash [partition-number: ] [filename]

Cisco 7000 family

boot flash-fs: [filename]

Cisco 1600 and Cisco 3600 series

boot [flash-fs: ] [partition-number: ] [filename]

Syntax Description

file-url&nbsp

URL of the image to boot. This option is only available with later ROM Monitor releases.

filename&nbsp

When used in conjunction with the ip-addressargument, the filenameargument is the name of the system image file to boot from a network server. The filename is case sensitive.

When used in conjunction with the flash keyword, the filenameargument is the name of the system image file to boot from Flash memory.

On all platforms except the Cisco 1600 series, Cisco 3600 series, and Cisco 7000 family, the system obtains the image file from internal Flash memory.

On the Cisco 1600 series, Cisco 3600 series and Cisco 7000 family, the flash-fs: argument specifies the Flash memory device from which to obtain the system image. See the flash-fs: argument later in this table for valid device values. The filename is case sensitive. Without filename, the first valid file in Flash memory is loaded.

ip-address&nbsp

(Optional) IP address of the TFTP server on which the system image resides. If omitted, this value defaults to the IP broadcast address of 255.255.255.255.

flash

(Optional) Boots the router from Flash memory.

flash-fs&nbsp:

Only newer ROM monitors support the flash-fs:filename format. Specifying the Flash file system is optional for all platforms except the Cisco 7500 series. Possible file systems are:

flash:Internal Flash memory on the Cisco 1600 series and Cisco 3600 series. This is the only valid Flash file system for the Cisco 1600 series.

bootflash:Internal Flash memory on the Cisco 7000 family.

slot0:Flash memory card in first PCMCIA slot on the Cisco 7000 family and Cisco 3600 series.

slot1:Flash memory card in second PCMCIA slot on the Cisco 7000 family and Cisco 3600 series.

partition-number&nbsp:

(Optional) Boots the router from Flash memory with the optional filename of the image you want loaded from the specified Flash partition. If you do not specify a filename, the first valid file in the specified partition of Flash memory is loaded. This option is relevant to platforms such as the Cisco 2500 where Flash memory may be partitioned.

Defaults

For most platforms, if you enter theboot command and press Return, the router boots from ROM by default. However, for some platforms, such as the Cisco 3600 series, if you enter theboot command and press Enter
, the router boots the first image in Flash memory. Refer to the documentation for your platform for information about the default image.

If you enter the boot flash command without a filename, the first valid file in Flash memory is loaded.

For other defaults, see the "Syntax Description" section.

Command Modes

ROM monitor

Command History

Release

Modification

10.3

The command was introduced.

Usage Guidelines

Use this command only when your router cannot find the boot configuration information needed in nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM). To get into ROM monitor mode, use one of the following methods:

Enter the reload
EXEC command, then press the Break
key during the first 60 seconds of startup.

Set configuration register bits 0 to 3 to zero (manual booting) and enter the reload
command.

The ROM monitor prompt is either ">" or for newer platforms "rommon x
>". Enter only lowercase commands.

These commands work only if there is a valid image to boot. Also, from the ROM monitor prompt, issuing a prior reset command is necessary for the boot to be always successful.

Refer to the your hardware documentation for information on correct jumper settings for your platform.

Examples

In the following example, a router is manually booted from ROM (except the Cisco 3600 series):

> boot
F3:
(ROM Monitor copyrights)

In the following example, a router boots the file routertest from a network server with the IP address 172.16.15.112:

> boot routertest 172.16.15.112
F3:
(ROM Monitor copyrights)

In the following example, a router boots the file routertest from a network server with the IP address 172.16.15.112 using the new file-url
syntax:

> boot tftp://172.16.15.112/routertest
F3
(ROM Monitor copyrights)

The following example shows the boot flash command without the filename argument.The first valid file in Flash memory is loaded.

Use the following example if the boot image has been inadvertently erased. (The IOS is directly launched from the ROM monitor without the intermediate boot stage. This startup requires less system memory.)

> boot flash:c4500-j-mz.103-7

In the following example, the Cisco 7000 family accepts the flash keyword for compatibility but ignores it, and boots from slot0: